Nintendo protects U-shaped controller design in Europe
A number of months ago, it was discovered that Nintendo filed for a new patent under the name “Training Implement, Training System, and Input Device”. It was originally registered in October 2014, and published back in April. What we saw seemed to be a new U-shaped controller intended for exercise with features such as acceleration, gyro, and the ability to detect temperature.
The patent is now back in the news as a similar listing has been found in Europe. Over on the EUIPO, Nintendo submitted an application on October 10 to protect the design of the controller. It was only just published last Tuesday.
Apparently Nintendo submitted three separate entries for parts of this controller (but not the controller as a whole) to be registered as an intellectual property. According to ntower, this would make it possible to attach additional parts to the controller. It also says that only the design has been registered as an intellectual property, but not the function of the buttons and such, which might be because this is an intellectual property rather than a patent.
